China should face consequences for its continued support of Russia amidst the ongoing war with Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on June 17.
Although China officially maintains a neutral stance on Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine and denies providing lethal aid, Beijing and Moscow continue to strengthen their ties. This was underscored by Putin's visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping in May.
"Beijing cannot have both," Stoltenberg said. "At some point – unless China changes course – allies must make it pay. There must be consequences."
Over the past two years, Stoltenberg said, 90% of Russian microelectronics have come from China. Beijing is also reportedly working to improve the capabilities of Russian satellites.
"The threats are not regional. China is fomenting the biggest armed conflict in Europe since World War II, and at the same time, it wants to maintain good relations with the West."
Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of NATO relations with countries in the Indo-Pacific as Russia expands its partnership with China and North Korea. Non-NATO countries such as Japan, Australia, South Korea, and New Zealand will attend the upcoming NATO summit, which is scheduled for July 9-11.
China has denied giving Russia military assistance in its full-scale against Ukraine. At the same time, the U.S. has previously accused China of giving Russia "every support behind the scenes" towards its war in Ukraine, describing its actions as "destabilizing in the heart of Europe."
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
